The treatment of military and civilian casualties exposed to chemical warfare agents is complicated for both the casualty and the medical team that is suppling aid. In order to provide the optimum conditions for treatment of wounds in this situation, it is essential that methods be devised which provide protection for those supplying aid, decontamination, and containment of any chemical agent remaining on the casualty or his clothing.
At the present time, halogen compounds based on iodine, bromine, and chlorine are used as decontamination agents of toxic compounds. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,927,037 describes the use of protective clothing impregnated with certain chlorine compounds as being able to decontaminate or protect against toxic agents. However, many of these decontaminating agents are corrosive to skin and metals, present difficulties in handling, and/or are short-lived. While stated to be effective over long periods of time, they do, in fact, lose their activity quickly. Moreover, in most cases where the decontamination agents are to be again impregnated onto a surface to be protected, one is again faced with the problem of handling a substance which is difficult to handle, corrosive, and the like.